MYP Chemistry 2015-2016
Policies & Procedures
Mr. Russel A. Giacofei
Email: [email protected]
We have an exciting year ahead of us!
Welcome to MYP Chemistry …. I’m so thrilled to have all of you this year as students.
Chemistry can be challenging, and it is all too easy to fall behind. Chemistry is a science that requires a good
deal of math and algebra. Many students struggle with the math, not because they cannot do the math, but because
the math uses different symbols. Easy formulas “look different”. Trust me… the rules are the same. This class will
prepare you to successfully pass-advance the Chemistry SOL.
One of the main tools for success in this classroom is your school computer. Bring it to class daily along with a
flash drive. Classroom textbooks are available, and you may check one out if necessary.
Materials (Every Day!)
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Three-ring binder for notes with loose-leaf paper. Organize as you see fit.
Pencils and pens
Graphic calculator
Journal = bound
Your laptop EVERYDAY!
Flash Drive
All IB programs share common beliefs and values about teaching and learning science. Specifically, in this course, we will
focus on the following in order to encourage student engagement in the world around them:
The process of scientific inquiry used daily in the science classroom will help prepare students for the skills needed to
complete their MYP personal project and eventually their DP extended essay. Some example of these skills are research,
investigation, and collaboration.
Grading Policy
Quarter Grades
Tests & Labs
Quizzes
Classwork
Homework
Honesty Policy
40%
30%
20%
10%
Semester Grades
Each Quarter
Semester Exams
20%
10%
Grading Scale
A+
(97-100)
A
(93-96)
A(90-92)
B+
(87-89)
B
( 84-86)
B(80-82)
C+
(77-79)
C
(73-76)
C(70-72)
D+
(67-69)
D
(65-66)
F
(below 65)
IB Scale
7
0
We will follow the guidelines and procedures outlined by the Henrico County Code of Conduct (student handbook) and
the International Baccalaureate Honesty Policy. Here is the International Baccalaureate Organization definition of what
constitutes a violation of ethical behavior in academics. Malpractice: IBO Regulations define malpractice as behavior
that results in, or may result in, the student or students gaining an unfair advantage in an assignment, quiz, test,
assessment, or examination. The concept of malpractice is broader than cheating or plagiarism. Both of those activities
are done intentionally. IBO is not concerned, however, whether an action is intentional or inadvertent if words, ideas,
and intellectual property of another are represented as the student’s own. Thus, the terminology of malpractice
encompasses accidental academic infringement by negligence, sloppiness, rushed work, as well as cheating and
plagiarism. Students and parents should review the IB Code of Academic policy, in detail.
Classroom Procedures
1. Be in your seat WORKING on your warm up when the bell rings or you will be marked tardy. The school policy
will be followed for unexcused tardies. I will dismiss you at the end of class—not the bell. If your workspace is
not clean, then please stay until you have completed this task or you will lose points on your daily grade.
2. Late homework will not be accepted. If your homework is not completed when I’m ready to collect the grade, it
will receive a zero.
3. Practice EXCELLENCE! Excellence is showing up on time with everything you’re supposed to have. Come to class
prepared and ready to work. If you are unprepared, you affect everyone in the class. We are a community, and
therefore, accountable to each other.
4. If a lab has been set up in the room, do not touch anything until instructed to do so. Violation of this rule will
result in immediate dismissal from class and a zero on the assignment. Your parents/guardians will be contacted
as well.
5. Observe all safety rules in the science lab. This means no horseplay and no eating in the lab.
6. If you miss a class, it is YOUR responsibility to make up the work. Please check with a classmate for daily
activities and homework assignments. School policy gives students the number of days absent plus one
additional day to make up all work missed. These are school days, not class blocks! Any work not made up by
that time will be awarded a zero. Tests and quizzes must be made up within a week. If you miss a lab, you must
see me for lab data. You are still responsible for processing data and understanding the lab. If you are absent on
the day that anything is due, that work is due immediately upon your return to school… not class…. but SCHOOL!
If your absence is unexcused, you may be awarded a zero for the assignment that was due.
7. If you are disruptive to the teaching/learning process, you will receive a warning. Further infractions will result in
removal from class, parental contact, and/or administrative involvement. If you miss an assignment as a result of
behavioral issues, you may be awarded a zero.
8. Science is a challenging, yet rewarding subject area. Don’t get behind! If you need extra help, please make a
tutoring appointment with me for after school.
9. Everyone is expected to participate in class. This includes attempting to answer questions, participating in labs,
demos, etc.
10. Expect quizzes regularly… at least 2 per week. Quizzes can be: warm up before class begins, scheduled and
unscheduled quizzes. The best way to prepare for quizzes is to review your notes for at least 15 minutes per day
AND do your homework.
11. You will keep a journal for warm up questions, exit questions, and reflections. Make sure you have a brief
reflection paragraph for every class. You must have highlighted what you believe to be the most important
concept for that class day. At the end of every week your journal will receive a classwork grade. At the end of
each marking period your journal will receive a quiz grade. The grade for the journal will be based on
completeness and thoughtful entries.
12. Expect to have a Test at least every couple weeks. Due to recent changes in the chemistry SOL, you can expect
each test and quiz to be at least 15% non-multiple choice (i.e. fill in the blank, multiple response, graphs, free
response/essay, true/false, calculations, etc…). Your understanding of the Chemistry Standards will be assessed
through these Quizzes and Tests. To excel on the Chemistry SOL, you should get an 80% or better on all Quizzes
and Tests. Quizzes and Tests may be retaken once within two weeks of taking the original Quiz or Test. The
highest grade of the two grades will be recorded. You must make arrangements with me to retake Quizzes or
Tests outside of class time, during another period or after school during my tutoring hours. The Benchmark
Exam, the Semester Exams, the SOL Practice Exam and the Six Chemistry Review Tests (4 th nine weeks) that
you’ll take this year cannot be retaken.
13. Six Chemistry Review Tests – Everyone will be required to take 6 Chemistry Review tests during MP4. These six
tests will be comprehensive, non–multiple choice tests on each section of Chemistry that has been covered
during the year. They cannot be retaken and are not for the faint of heart. Everything you do during the year is
to prepare you to pass these 6 tests. The only way to replace your grade on any one or all of these tests is to
pass the Chemistry SOL. Passing the Chemistry SOL will automatically replace these 6 test grades with a 100.
CAS (Creativity, Action, and Service) in the Science classroom:
Students will…..
 Learn through investigation: Students construct meaning by designing, conducting and reflecting on scientific
investigations. The scientific process, which encourages hands-on experience, inquiry, and critical thinking,
enables students to make informed and responsible decisions, not only in science but also in other areas of life.
 Collaboration: Students are provided opportunities to work individually and with their peers to learn about
science within and beyond the classroom. They develop safe and responsible working habits in practical science.
Personal Project in the Science classroom:
The process of scientific inquiry used daily in the science classroom will help prepare students for the skills needed to
complete their MYP personal project and eventually their DP extended essay. Some example of these skills are research,
investigation, and collaboration.
How You Will Be Assessed (toward your MYP Certificate)
MYP Chemistry has 4 objectives that must be assessed; under each objective there are several ”strands” which must be
assessed two times.
Objective
Strand
A. Knowing and Understanding
i. explain scientific knowledge
ii. apply scientific knowledge to solve problems set in familiar
and unfamiliar situations
iii analyze and evaluate information to make scientifically
supported judgments
B. Inquiry and designing
i. explain a problem or question to be tested by scientific
Investigation
ii. formulate a testable hypothesis and explain using scientific
reasoning
iii. explain how to manipulate variables, and explain how data
will be collected
iv. design scientific investigations
C. Processing and evaluating
i. present collected and transformed data
ii. interpret data and explain results using scientific reasoning
iii. evaluate the validity of a hypothesis based on the outcome
of the scientific investigation
iv. evaluate the validity of the method
v. explain improvements or extensions to the method
D. Reflecting on the impacts of science
i. explain the ways in which science is applied and used to
address a specific problem or issue
ii. discuss and evaluate the various implications of the use of
science and its application in solving a specific problem or
issue
iii. apply scientific language effectively
iv. document the work of others and sources of information
used
Chemistry Pacing Guide & Course Outline
MP
1
MP
2
MP
3
MP
4
Unit
Unit 1:
Introduction to Chemistry
Unit 2:
Math & Metrics
Unit 3:
Matter & Energy
SOL Obj.
CH.1a-e
Duration
3 weeks
CH. 1d-i
3 weeks
CH. 1 all, 2h, 3 weeks
5a-c, e
MP1 Exam
CH. 2a-g, i
3 weeks
Assessment Tools
 Unit 1 Test
 Safety Test
 Unit 2 Test
*Book Chapters
 CH 1
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CH 3
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CH 2, 13, 14.1,
17.1-2
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CH 4, 5
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CH 5.2, 6
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CH 9
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CH 7, 8, 22,
23.1 & 23.4,
24.3 & 24.5
CH 11, 20, 22,
23.1 & 23.4,
24.3 & 24.5
CH 10, 12
Unit 3 Test
Unit 4:
 Unit 4 Test
Atomic Theory & Structure
Unit 4.5:
CH. 2f
2 week
 Unit 4.5 Test
Periodic Trends
Unit 5:
CH. 3a, c-d
4 weeks  Unit 5 Test
Chemical Nomenclature
SEMESTER 1 EXAM (Comprehensive Exam Including MP1 & MP2)
Unit 6:
CH. 3 c, d,
3 weeks
Unit 6 Test
Bonding
6a
Unit 7:
Types of Rxns
CH. 3b, e,
6b
2 weeks
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Unit 7 Test
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Unit 8:
Stoichiometry
CH. 4a, b
4 weeks
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Unit 8 Test
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MP3 Exam
CH. 3f, 4c,d;
2 weeks
5a-e
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Unit 9 Test
Review tests 1
&2
Unit 10 and 11
Test
Review tests 3
&4
Unit 1 – 11
Review tests 5
&6
Chem post-test
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CH 14, 17,
18.1, 18.5
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CH 15, 16, 18,
19
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All – see
above
Unit 9:
Thermodynamics, Kinetics,
Gas Laws
Unit 10 and 11:
Solutions, Chemical
Equilibrium, Acids/Bases,
Colligative Properties
Review for Chemistry SOL
CH. 4 e, f, g ;
5f
2 weeks
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CH.1 - 6
2 weeks
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More Scientific Investigation
Through Lab Activities
All
3 weeks
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Lab Practical
Assessments
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N/A
Final Exam (Comprehensive Exam Including MP1 – MP4)
* This Symbol Indicates the Prentice Hall Textbook – “Chemistry by Wilbraham, Staley, Matta, and Waterman.” I will
give abundant reading material on each Unit. However, if you wish to read more about the material being covered,
books are available for you to check out.
Student Name: ___________________________________________
(please print)
MYP Chemistry 2015-2016 Policies and Procedures Signature Page
I have read and understand the policies and procedures and agree to comply with all of them.
Student signature: ___________________________________________
Parent/Guardian signature: ____________________________________